


Come Home

by happytappyteen, SorryFreudianSlip



Category: Mr. Robot (TV)
Genre: Autistic Meltdown, Bisexual Male Character, Character(s) of Color, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Gay Male Character, M/M, Swearing, Trans Male Character, autistic characters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-08-12 17:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7942777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happytappyteen/pseuds/happytappyteen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SorryFreudianSlip/pseuds/SorryFreudianSlip
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Elliot can't stand the apartment anymore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Come Home

“I can’t do this.” Elliot shuddered, lying on his side with his phone on the pillow. “I can’t.”  
“Cuz, tell me what’s wrong.” Somewhere in the middle of Elliot’s panic attack, he broke and called the only marked number in his phone. Leon had been reading him poetry until he could speak.  
“I-I…” Elliot could only stutter. “Um.” He moaned, wincing. His mother hated when he did that. Called him a useless fuck, among other things. Told him to act normal. Leon knew what that was like.  
“Baby, do you have your stim stuff? Is it anywhere near? That calms you down, huh?”  
“I have a pillow and a bracelet but it isn’t helping like it’s supposed to. Leon.” Elliot buried his face in the sheets, clutching at his head. “What do I do?”  
“Tell me what happened when you got home, cuz.”  
Home. That was the fucking problem.  
“There was a black car outside. The Wellicks’ car. Leon, I,” Elliot curled up around the phone, as though Leon’s voice could hold him tight. “I dunno if I’m safe here. The police were here. Darlene was here, and Angela and probably Cisco and - and Tyrell.” Elliot moaned again, feeling more tears coming and pressure in his face and his cheeks getting hot and he hated it. Leon went quiet.  
“Alright, cuz.”  
“Leon?”  
“I’m coming over to pick you up. Pack some stuff, you’re gonna stay with me for a sec.”  
*  
It was depressing how quick it was to pack. Elliot stared at the box his computer came in. He just had to put the screens back in, throw some clothes in his backpack. The hardest part would be moving Qwerty, but he didn’t even have that anymore. He couldn’t take care of anything. He couldn’t do anything right.  
Elliot felt intense pressure in the back of his head. Not again. He squeezed his eyes shut and tears leaked out, rocking himself back and forth and making little noises in his chest.  
“Yo, cuz?” Leon was pounding on the door. “Can I come in?”  
“I don’t think I can get up.” He had locked the door, too. Damn. He was useless. Leon picked the lock, and was suddenly there and holding him.  
“Aw, cuz.” Elliot squirmed, shifting so he could squeeze around Leon. “Babe, you’re gonna be okay.”  
Hugging was a stim for both of them, thank God. Leon liked the pressure, Elliot liked to thrash around and be grounded. They both liked to rock back and forth and be warm. Elliot hummed into Leon’s chest as Leon nuzzled into his hair. Leon hummed back, knowing Elliot liked the vibrations.  
“How’re you feeling, little dude?”  
“Awful. Really tired.”  
“You wanna take a nap?”  
“Nah. I’m sorry.”  
“You’re good, fam.” Leon kissed his head.  
“I wanna get out of here. You really mean it?” Elliot stretched to look up at Leon. “I can really crash with you?”  
“Yeah, really.” Leon smiled down at him, a little quirk of the lips that made Elliot melt. “Anything to have a cutie on my couch.”  
Elliot blushed, but not in the crying sort of way. “Shut up.”  
“Mm.” Leon kissed him. “I’m gonna carry your shit to my car.”  
“You have a car?”  
“My mom’s car.”  
“Oh.”  
“Don’t offer to help, either. You’d probably break in half.”  
“Okay. Can you, um.”  
“Yeah, babe?”  
“Can you talk to me on the phone while you do it?” Elliot blurted. “I don’t wanna be by myself.” _I don’t want to start crying again_.  
“‘Course.”  
*  
“You don’t have a lot of stuff. Plenty of room, I probably coulda put it all on my bike or some shit.”  
“You’d break my computer.”  
“I’m good on a bike!” Leon turned a bit more serious. “Can you get up, fam?”  
“Um.” Elliot rolled over to cover his face. He was such a fuckup.  
“’s alright.” Leon grabbed his hips and dragged him down the bed, making Elliot yelp. He hoisted him up like a little kid. “Jesus, you’re light. Gotta get some food in you.”  
Elliot nuzzled into Leon’s shoulder, wrapping his legs around his waist.  
“A skinny little koala, that’s what you are,” Leon continued, kicking Elliot’s door shut and walking down the stairs. Some other tenants stared at them, whispering to each other. Leon stared right back. “My mama’s cooking sucks, but I make a mean chicken pot pie. Extra butter, and you’ll be as jacked as I am.”  
“You’re skinny too.” Elliot’s voice was muffled.  
“Are you kidding? I’m like a bull, all big and scary and cool and shit.”  
“Nah. You’re like a... very lazy horse. A lazy horse that smokes pot.”  
“I dunno if I'm offended by that, fam. Right now I’m feeling like a pack mule.”  
*  
Leon dumped all of Elliot’s stuff in the living room. Elliot winced as the computer box hit the floor.  
“Home sweet home.”  
Their house was nice. Cozy, in an old way that made Elliot think of when his dad used to make pancakes and muffins in the morning. All warm and soft and hearty.  
“Where’s your mom?”  
“Oh, she’s at work. She’s a curator lady at the MOMA.”  
“Shit, really?”  
“Yeah.” Leon beamed, throwing some books to the side. “Cool stuff, man. Where should I put your computer?”  
“Wherever, man. I don’t wanna mess up your system.”  
“It changes, like, every week.”  
“Oh.” That wasn’t good.  
“My stuff does,” Leon rushed to explain. “Listen, you put your shit where you want and I promise I won’t touch it. Cool?”  
“Yeah, man. Sorry I’m difficult.”  
“Dude.” Leon tossed a throw pillow at him. “Nuh-uh. I will put confidence and chicken pot pie into you if it’s the last thing I do.”  
*  
“Okay, first rule of Chez Leon: you eat the shit I make and pretend it tastes good.”  
“Leon. I’m sure your cooking is great.”  
“Rule two: lying and flattery will get you everywhere, especially with my mama.”  
“Oh my God.”  
“Seriously, cuz.” Leon shifted slightly, looking uncomfortable. Elliot leaned against him on the couch. “She, uh. She thinks I’m an assistant librarian.”  
“What’d she say about prison?”  
“I told her it was a work retreat.”  
“Oh my God,” Elliot said again, snickering.  
“Rule three: don’t laugh at me, I’m doing my best.”  
“Are you just making shit up or are there actual house rules?”  
Leon tickled Elliot’s side, making him huff out a laugh and bat at his arm. “It’s more like a loose schedule. Mama leaves for work at six-fifteen so I get up at five-thirty to make breakfast. You can sleep ‘til whenever you want, though. She gets back around seven.” Leon checked his watch. Four twenty-three. “She’s so excited to meet you, you have no idea.”  
“Really?”  
“Oh, yeah. I talk about you all the time.”  
“Really?” Elliot wrapped his arms around himself, smiling.  
“Really.” Leon kissed his temple. There was a flash of orange. “Oh, and then there’s this asshole.”  
The asshole in question meowed loudly and clawed at Leon’s thighs before settling in his lap. “Ow. Elliot, this is Susan-Sarah. Susan-Sarah, this is Elliot.”  
Elliot stared at the fattest, angriest cat he had ever seen. “She’s beautiful.”  
“She’s something.” Leon tried to pat her, but Susan-Sarah yowled and leapt off his lap, scurrying into another room. “Alright, Jesus.”  
*  
Elliot put his clothes in the closet by Leon’s and put his shoes by the front door next to Leon’s Chucks. It was all very domestic, and Elliot flushed to think that this was really happening. For a bit, anyway. His computer went on Leon’s desk, which apparently was only used for weird science pamphlets or cat hair, so he figured he was safe.  
“Should I sweep up?” Elliot asked awkwardly. Leon was cooking dinner.  
“Nah,” Leon yelled over the sizzle of a pan. “Are you nervous, or some shit? She’s gonna love you.”  
“Uh.” Elliot fiddled with his sleeves. Mothers didn’t like him.  
“Dude. Just be quiet and polite. Well, actually, just be quiet. She’ll talk enough for both of us. Just nod and look cute and you’ll be fine.”  
“Okay.” Elliot was pretty good at quiet.  
“Speaking of.” Leon grinned, wiping off his hands. A taxi dropped off a very short lady with several bags on her arms. Oh God. It was happening. “Here.” Leon rubbed Ellliot’s cheek and fixed his hair. “Perfect.”  
The door opened. “Leon?”  
“Mama!” Leon rushed to take her bags, bending down to get a kiss on the cheek. “I’m making your favorite. Lemon-butter pasta with broccoli.”  
“That sounds lovely. I hope you don’t mind if I sit down for a bit.” She plopped down on the couch. “My feet are tired.”  
“That’s fine, Mama.” Leon said, adoringly. “How was your day?”  
“Leon.”  
“Mama?”  
“Didn’t I raise you to be somewhat civil?”  
“Yeah, Mama.”  
“Introduce me to this handsome young man.”  
Fuck. It begins. Elliot tried to stand up straight.  
“Mama, this is my Elliot. Elliot, this is my mama.”  
Elliot awkwardly shuffled over to the couch, where Leon put down a pillow for his mother’s feet.  
“Hello, ma’am.”  
She groaned. “None of that shit. I’m not so old, sweetheart. Let me look at you.”  
Elliot knelt by her. Oh boy. Eye contact. He forced himself to look at her face.  
She had alarmingly bright eyes and deep smile lines. Leon had her nose. She was older than he expected. Elliot tried not to shake.  
“Oh, you silly boy,” she said softly. “I’m looking at you, aren’t I? You don’t have to be scared of me. Leon hates eye contact too.”  
Elliot sighed, dropping his eyes to her bright purple lipstick. “Thanks, ma’am.”  
“I’m no mind reader, boy. If anything’s wrong, you tell me. Huh?”  
“Yeah.” Elliot smiled, a little bit.  
“Oh! What a handsome boy. You’ve got some dust on your cheek. Can I touch you?”  
“Yeah. Thank you for asking, ma’am.” She licked her thumb and scrubbed it away.  
“There. And don’t call me that.”  
“Sorry, Mrs. -”  
“No! Not that either! Jeezum Crow.” She sighed. “Am I that old? Tell me honestly.”  
Leon laughed. Elliot squirmed.  
“Uh, no. You look very pretty.”  
“Oh, I like him a lot. Where’d you find this boy?”  
*  
Leon’s cooking was incredible. Elliot had now discovered he really liked buttery pasta. Red sauce was gross but butter and garlic? Awesome.  
“How was Barbara today?”  
Mama Leon (as they agreed was her official title) giggled and slapped at Leon’s arm.  
“Who?” Elliot asked, his first words of the meal.  
“Barbara is a very beautiful lady who Mama works with,” Leon said. “Mama goes shopping with her. I’ve been trying to get them together for weeks.”  
“My son, the matchmaker.” Mama Leon threw her hands to the sky. “Heaven help us.”  
“I’m pretty good so far. My big sister got married to the person from my graduation party.”  
“There’s another thing.” Mama Leon pointed her fork at Elliot. It was far more intimidating than Elliot would have liked to admit. “I’ve had 5 kids, each of ‘em blessed and beautiful in different ways. Tell me if I get your name or pronouns wrong, won’t you? I’m learning.”  
Elliot felt very warm. “Uh-huh.”  
“Good. Now eat up, you haven’t eaten enough to keep a bird alive.”  
*  
After dinner and dessert (lemon squares and vanilla ice cream, was this how normal people lived?) Mama Leon demanded they gather in the living room.  
“Now, Leon texted me last minute when he said you were coming over, so these may not be the best fit,” she said. She seemed kind of nervous. “Leon, fetch those bags, won’t you?”  
“Yeah, Mama.” Leon walked to the front door. Mama Leon turned to Elliot, misty-eyed.  
“You’ll tell me if your name changes, yes? I called Leon the wrong one for fourteen years. Called him my daughter, too. You don’t ever be scared to correct me. Agreed?”  
“Uh-huh.” Elliot bit the string of his hoodie. Leon had cracked his knuckles at the dinner table, so he figured it was okay. “You’re cool.”  
“Ha! Leon!” she yelled. “Your boy called me ‘cool’!”  
“Take that one to the bank, Mama. He still calls me a nerd.” Leon smiled, handing the bags to his mother. She suddenly seemed nervous again.  
“Tell me if you like them. They’re from the museum.”  
Elliot shuffled through the tissue paper, very aware of their eyes on him. He pulled out a hand puzzle, made to look as though it were dripping with paint. Then there was a tangle, covered in raised letters and numbers. At the bottom of the bag was a rubber bracelet that said MOMA. Perfect for chewing.  
“Are these stim toys?”  
“Leon said you made ones out of plastic bags, and I just thought you might want some,” Mama Leon rambled. “I can return them, if you don’t like them. There’s CD’s and videos and -”  
“I love them.” Elliot’s vision went blurry. Was he crying? “Thank you. Thank you so much.” Oh man, he was really crying. “That’s so nice. Thank you -” He folded in on himself, covering his face.  
Leon sat beside him and squeezed his waist, rocking him as he kissed away Elliot’s tears. Mama Leon sat on his other side, watching Elliot nod consent before ruffling his hair. Elliot breathed shakily, looking up at her.  
“You’re really nice. That’s where Leon got it from. And the nose.”  
Mama Leon burst out laughing, and kissed his hair. “Oh, this is gonna be a fun week, huh?”  
*  
Elliot woke up when Leon shuffled through the living room and stubbed his toe. “Ow, fuck.”  
“Leon?” Elliot whispered.  
“Shit, go back to sleep, cuz.”  
“I’m up, man, it’s cool. You can turn on the lights so you don’t break anything else.”  
“Okay. We gotta be quiet, though. Mama ain’t awake yet.”  
“Can I help you make breakfast?”  
It was dark, but Elliot swore he could hear Leon smile. “Yeah, fam.”  
*  
Elliot was given a metal bowl and whisk that had been sitting in the freezer overnight. Leon poured in whipping cream and vanilla and told him to whisk.  
“For the pancakes,” Leon whispered, measuring flour out in a bowl.  
“You make them from scratch?”  
“Hell yeah. I wish I thought to take you to the farmstand. We coulda put blueberries in this shit. Do you like chocolate chips?”  
“I like the milk ones. Not the white chocolate, though.”  
“I think we have some mini ones - ah! There we are.” He set them beside the bowl.  
“My arm hurts.” Elliot whined.  
“Then take a break.”  
“But it’s still liquid.”  
“Eh. It can wait.”  
Elliot set the bowl down and hugged Leon from behind, craning his head to watch him work. It was comforting, how Leon’s hands knew exactly where to go. Leon had put tinfoil over the counter and it made nice crinkling noises. Leon hadn’t put on his binder yet.  
“Can I touch your chest?”  
Leon hummed. “Yeah. You could touch around my ribs but maybe not, like, on the front. I think I slept funny.”  
Elliot ran his hands up and down Leon’s sides, rubbing at his ribs until Leon started humming again. He couldn’t quite reach around to Leon’s sternum to feel it.  
“Hold up,” Leon said, and turned Elliot around so his back was to the counter and he was facing Leon. He rested his head on Leon’s sternum. “There we go.”  
Elliot put his arms around Leon’s neck, closing his eyes, soothed to sleep by the sound of Leon sifting flour. Squishy.  
*  
“Oh, thank the Lord I lived to see this day.”  
“Mama, shh.”  
“He’s so much better than that asshole you were dating. Jacob?”  
“Jeremy.”  
“Whatever. I blocked his name from my memory. I mean, your boy can’t make whipped cream worth a damn, but he’ll learn.”  
“Mama.”  
Elliot made an unhappy noise, blinking slowly. He was on the dining room table. This was weird. “Did I fall asleep?”  
“Like a rock.”  
“You put me on the table?”  
“Yeah. I didn’t want you out of my sight.” Leon said with a sugary smile. Elliot giggled.  
“Much too sappy this early in the morning. Elliot, you want some coffee?”  
“Yes, please. Leon, can I help?”  
“Nah, you’re barely awake.” Leon picked up the forgotten metal bowl, and whisked it so fast that Elliot felt dizzy. “Now that’s how you make whipped cream.” He said, holding the bowl upside down. Nothing came out.  
“Nice.”  
Mama Leon stuck her finger in the bowl and took a taste. “Did you add sugar too, or just vanilla?”  
“Uh…”  
“Oh, Leon.” She patted his head. “You have much still to learn.”  
Susan-Sarah decided to make her presence known by squawking and jumping on the counter. Leon squawked right back, waving her down. “No cat hair in the pancakes.”  
“Aw!” Mama Leon scooped up the cat, which was fairly impressive, seeing as the cat probably outweighed her. “My little Susan-Sarah loves her pancakes. Oh, yes she does!” She scooped up a finger full of whipped cream, wiggling it in front of the cat’s nose until she began to lick at it.  
“Mama, stop feeding her whipped cream!”  
“She loves it, hush.”  
*  
After Mama Leon left (and Elliot and Leon took a shower and cleaned the dishes) Leon was full of energy.  
“Leon, you have to wear a shirt.” Elliot blushed, trying not to stare.  
“Cuz, this is basically a crop top. 'Sides, gotta exercise. No use putting a shirt on if I'm just gonna get hot and take it off again.”  
“I guess.”  
But Leon wasn't exercising, he was sitting with his knees hugged to his chest, staring at a wall.  
“What are you doing? Thought you were going to exercise.”  
“Can't, man.”  
“You got everything with you.” Elliot said, gesturing to the yoga mat and weights they’d dragged from the closet.  
“I know, just…” Leon tapped his temple, sighing. “Brain ain't with it anymore.”  
Silence.  
“I'm sorry. Can I help?”  
“Actually, yeah bro.” He gestured to a spot on the carpet. “Lay down there for me, will you?”  
“Lay d - why?”  
A smile. “Motivation.”  
Warily, Elliot shuffled to where he was told, sat, and laid back, spreading his hands palm up on either side. “I don't know about this, man.”  
“Trust me.” And he looked so sincere that Elliot couldn't help but trust him.  
Leon rocked forward onto his hands and knees, crawled until he was directly over Elliot, and lifted himself into a plank position. Lowered. Up, down. A steady rhythm.  
Gradually Elliot found himself losing track of the number of reps, focusing instead on the flecks of gold in Leon's dark eyes, counting his eyelashes, watching in awe the ripple of each muscle. He was warm. He was beautiful.  
It happened in very quick succession.  
Leon laughed, loudly. Elliot jumped. And Leon collapsed. The sudden weight should have been jarring but it felt nice.  
“Heh… Sorry cuz. But your face. All smiley. I love it.”  
Elliot searched Leon's face, instincts screaming 'kiss him' so he reached up and cupped his face and did.  
Leon let out a strangled happy squeak as Elliot slid his hands across his back, closing his eyes. He didn't need them to see his partner radiating warmth and light and everything good. Leon was the sun, dark hands like rays tangled in Elliot's hair. And Elliot was the rain, fingers tapping softly against Leon's skin and the soft fabric of his binder.  
He wanted to stay like this forever.  
Leon seemed to have the same idea. He rested his head in the crook between Elliot’s neck and shoulder and closed his eyes, sighing contently. “You mean so much to me, you know that?”  
That sounded a bit too good to be true, but Elliot was gonna try and roll with it. “Okay.”  
Leon rolled over so Elliot was on his stomach. “Don’t give me that shit. You’re my boy now.”  
Elliot kissed his cheek. “You mean it?”  
Leon laughed, pulling him down to look him in the eye. “Yep. I’m gonna kiss you, okay?”  
*  
A little while later, while they (reluctantly) got up and cleaned up Leon’s equipment, Leon checked his watch and moaned. “Fuck.”  
“What is it?”  
“I forgot one part of the schedule.”  
Susan-Sarah meowed, scratching at the door. Leon picked up a leash. Elliot saw these two actions, but failed to connect them. No, refused to connect them.  
“You’re shitting me.”  
Susan-Sarah yowled as Leon attached the leash to her collar. “Yeah, you little asshole, I get it. I don’t want to do this either.”  
“You walk the fucking cat?”  
“Depends.” Leon sighed. “Sometimes she doesn’t wanna, so we have a stroller. She likes going outside, either way.”  
“Jesus.” Elliot laughed, his unashamed, raspy, hiccuping laugh that scared the fuck out of neurotypicals.  
Leon loved it. He grinned toothily, hopping on the balls of his feet. “Ready, cuz?”  
“M-hm.” Leon’s hand was warm. “Well. Um.” He looked down at his hoodie. “I don’t wanna get wet. Do you have -?” Leon tossed him an atrocious jacket. “I was gonna say an umbrella.”  
“That’s Adidas, man. Good shit.” Leon unfolded a stroller from the closet, which Susan-Sarah immediately hopped in. “Green. Like your eyes, fam.”  
It smelled like Leon. Elliot put it on and wrapped it around himself. It felt like a hug.  
“Yeah, fam. That’s the spirit.”  
*  
The wheel on the stroller was squeaky. It kind of bothered Elliot, until Leon started humming with it. “I wish I could beat box, fam. You know how cool that shit would be? Just start going off at any moment.” He made what Elliot could only guess was a beat boxing noise. It sounded like a coughing fit.  
“I like your voice,” Elliot said. Susan-Sarah yowled.  
“Thanks, fam.”  
The neighborhood was very... bright, and clean. Expensive cars lined the sidewalks, their driveways filled with boats or kayaks. He expected to see the Wellicks round the corner any second. Elliot felt kind of embarrassed. What did Leon think when he came to his apartment?  
“Dark Army pays me pretty good. First thing I do is get my mama a nice house.” Leon nodded to himself. “She always wanted a gas stove, fam. Can’t cook for shit, but it makes coffee easier.”  
“Your mom is really nice.”  
“Yeah. Aw, shit. These folks are... eugh.” Leon grimaced. A couple (a man in a double-breasted raincoat, a woman in a bright red pea coat) was staring at them, car keys forgotten. “Whattup, Smith?”  
“Good morning, Mr., eh, Louis?” The man winced. His wife stared at their stroller, as if wanting to approach it.  
“Leon. Pretty close, fam. What’s going on?”  
“Oh, just.” He shrugged, turning to stare at Elliot. “Brunch with the wife. I haven’t seen your… friend around here. Brother?” He stuttered, catching himself. “Sister?”  
“Boyfriend.”  
“Oh.” The man turned to his wife, panicking.  
“And who’s this?” she said, in the weird baby voice people always did. Oh god. Elliot looked at Leon, who was trying not to laugh.  
“Um.” Leon was spared an answer by a very loud yowl from the stroller. The woman froze. Susan-Sarah hopped onto the sidewalk to bat at a worm. “Hey! Worms are cool!” Leon picked her up. “Little asshole.”  
Elliot picked up the worm, gently setting him in the grass. The couple stared.  
“See you around, Smith.”  
“Take care of yourself, Luigi.”  
*  
After their walk, or more accurately, after Susan-Sarah got into a fight with a poodle, the two went home for a snack.  
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry.”  
Elliot was laughing his ass off, choking on every other breath. “It’s cool. That poodle was cute as shit.”  
“You and small dogs. I love, like, pit bulls and shit, y’know? Big-ass dogs.”  
“Corgis are great. You can pick ‘em up. Lap dogs.”  
“All dogs are lap dogs. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”  
Elliot picked up Susan-Sarah who began to purr immediately. Leon just glared at her. “Asshole.”  
“You’re just jealous, Luigi.”  
*  
This was a lot like Elliot’s perfect regiment. Wake up, eat, walk, eat, clean dishes. The only difference was that Leon kissed him and Leon’s Mama brought them candy after work and the cat purred and would sit with him while he typed and Elliot really didn’t want to leave but he didn’t know how to stay.  
“You good, fam?” Leon said, softly. Elliot had been staring at the laptop for a while, motionless. “Baby?”  
“Uh. Yeah.” Elliot felt like crying. “I’m good.”  
“Baby.” Leon picked him up, taking his place in the chair and setting him down on his lap. “Honey. What’s up?”  
“You’re gonna think I’m stupid.”  
“Nope. That’s some ableist shit, right there.” Elliot squinted at him. Leon would have to teach him, or maybe Mama could. “We don’t use that word in this house. Tell me what you’re feeling and I ain’t gonna judge.”  
“I don’t wanna leave.” Elliot stared at him, eyes wide. He was gonna cry and Leon would think he was pathetic and throw him out and-  
“Hey. Honey, you’re mind’s going a mile a minute.” Leon rocked him. “What do you mean, leave?”  
“Your mama said a week. And I don’t wanna go.” It was like a dam had broken open, and suddenly Elliot couldn’t shut up. “I like when you make breakfast and I like sleeping on your couch and hearing you get up and I like the asshole cat and I like your mama and -”  
Leon squeezed him, nuzzling into his neck. “You think we’re throwing you out, baby?”  
“Uh.”  
“Nope.”  
“Your mama said a week.”  
“Nah, fam. You’re with us ‘til you wanna go.”  
“But what if I’m here forever?”  
‘That’s cool.” Leon smiled, hands on Elliot’s hips and eyes bright. “You won’t catch me complaining.”  
“But your mama -”  
“- Loves you. She think’s you’re a cutie, just like me. Well, she calls you a loaf of banana bread, but you should take that as a compliment.”  
“Oh. Moms don’t usually like me.”  
Leon laughed. “Bullshit.”  
“My mom hated me.”  
*  
It was official. Elliot had fucked it up. Leon didn’t understand, so Elliot showed him his scars from his mother’s cigarettes. Leon had started crying and rocking him, and called his mama.  
“But she’s at work.”  
“Nuh-uh.” Leon sniffled, cradling him like he could protect him from everything fucked up in the world. “This is important.”  
“It’s not a big deal.”  
“Cuz.” Leon shook his head. “Just shut up and let me hug you.”  
“Okay.”  
*  
Mama Leon threw open the front door, looking ready to slit a throat. “Why is my boy crying?”  
“Mama.” Leon didn’t get up, still squeezing Elliot where he sat on the floor. “Mama.”  
“I’m sorry, Mama Leon.” Elliot said, voice muffled from Leon’s arms.  
“What the hell happened?”  
“His mama used to hit him and now he thinks we’re throwing him out and Mama, I’m such a shitty boyfriend -” Leon coughed, hiding his face in Elliot’s hair. “I didn’t even know.”  
“Oh, the two of you.” Mama Leon hugged them both, barely having to lean down. Elliot flinched. She pulled back. “I’m sorry, baby. Here,” She pet her son’s hair. “How about we have something to drink and talk?”  
*  
Elliot sipped his hot cocoa, feeling it warm up his chest. Leon refused to let him go, squeezing him and rocking him like one of his stim toys. It felt really, really nice.  
“Baby, you can stay here as long as you’d like.”  
“Leon calls me that.” Elliot looked up at her. She just smiled.  
“Who do you think called him that, when his head was full of silly ideas?” She slowly moved to rub his hair, making sure Elliot had time to move away. “He used to think I was gonna leave him to the cold when he told me his name.” She laughed, pinching his cheek. “Silly boys, both of you. Whatever you’re running from, you can stay here.”  
Leon froze. Elliot cuddled his warm mug. “Mama?”  
“You heard me. Those, those hackers, or what do you call ‘ems. Those Army people.”  
“Mama.” Leon squeezed Elliot’s arm to the point of pain. Elliot squirmed.  
“Baby, do you take me for a fool?” Mama Leon leaned back in her chair, drinking her coffee. “I know the two of you are in with that crowd. You could never lie to your mama.”  
“Mama, you could be in real trouble.” Leon stared at her, his lips barely moving.  
“I’ve been in trouble before, I’ll be in trouble again. You’re turning that boy blue.”  
Leon let Elliot go, horrified. Elliot leaned against his chest. “You’re good.”  
“Mama, you don’t understand. These guys aren’t playing around.”  
“I gathered that when my E-Card stopped working.” She laughed. “Now you boys -”  
“Mama!” Leon threw his mug against the wall. Elliot jumped out of his lap, breathing heavily. “Mama, have you been snooping around? You’re gonna get hurt -”  
“If these people are that dangerous, then you bet your ass I’m snooping.” She set her mug down, wetting a towel. She ambled over to Leon, wrapping it around his bloody knuckles. “I’m gonna keep my boys safe, or at least have an ear to the ground.” She kissed Leon’s cheek.  
“I’m sorry, Mama.” Leon didn’t raise his head, his chest heaving.  
“Don’t apologize to me.”  
“Shit, Elliot, baby -”  
“You’re good,” Elliot said, a little shaky. “Just surprised me, is all. Please don’t touch me right now.”  
“Of course, baby.” Leon wiped away tears, looking awful. “I’m gonna clean that up. Can I walk around you for some paper towels?”  
“Yeah.”  
Leon shuffled around the kitchen. Mama Leon put the rest of the mugs in the sink.  
Awful silence. Elliot squirmed. This wasn’t right. And it was his fault.  
“I may not be able to send a text, but I can see that your computers aren’t just for YouTube, or whatever the hell.”  
Elliot blinked. “I can help you set up your phone.”  
“You mean it?” She turned to lean on the counter, cocking her head to one side. Just like her son. Elliot smiled, hesitant.  
“Yeah. I can make the type big, too. So you can read it.”  
She groaned, and the tension in the room was gone. “I’m not that old, boy.”  
“Pretty old,” Leon called, from where he knelt on the floor. He was smiling.  
“Why yes, Leon, I didn’t really want to do the dishes. How kind of you to offer!” She tossed him a towel. “I’m going to watch some movies, I still haven’t seen that Star Wars thing. Elliot is going to come too, and teach me how to flirt with Barbara. Sound nice, Elliot?”  
“Okay.” Elliot smiled at Leon while he groaned. This was alright.


End file.
